There was something of a successful Wardle Academy family partnership on show at the Music for Youth Festival in Birmingham this week, as Lee Rigg and Jane Conway led their Youth and Wind Bands in critically acclaimed performances at Symphony Hall.

Brother and sister

Lee conducted the Academy Youth Band, whilst Jane (Lee's sister) directed the Academy Wind Band — with both ensembles featuring their own children in their ranks too.

The Academy also sent their Folk Group and Choir to the prestigious event, whilst Primary School partners, Smithy Bridge (conducted by Lee) and St Andrew's Church of England Primary Brass (conducted by Jane) performed in the Festival Fringe tent.

Achievement awards

However, it was the Certificate of Achievement level performances of the two main ensembles that certainly caught the attention of event mentors Keith Hewson and Eric Tebbett.

The Youth Band’s set inspired by the experiences of a young First World War soldier, saw them open with Walton's ‘Crown Imperial’, before leading into Captain Arthur Green's ‘Sunset and the Last Post’ (featuring Laura Conway, Hannah Timperley and Skye Wilson) and Nicholas Brodszky's ‘I'll Walk with God’.

Fantastic

The mentors described the playing as ‘fantastic’, with Keith Hewson adding that he felt ‘the attention to intonation was absolutely first rate’ resulting in the audience being ‘spellbound’.

Meanwhile, not to be outdone, the Wind Band maintained the incredible high standard, as their set featuring ‘Celebration & Song’ by Robert Sheldon, ‘Flutopia’ by David Shaffer and ‘Among the Clouds’ by Brian Balmages, gained a Certificate of Achievement for Performance and Practice.

Proud

A delighted Director of Performing Arts, Janet Emsley, told 4BR: "I’m so proud of the students, especially as many of them play in both groups, some on different instruments.

For some Youth Band members this was their last performance, and we hope they will now enjoy playing with adult bands, whilst for the Wind Band, this was their second appearance at the event and their second successive award."

I’m so proud of the students, especially as many of them play in both groups, some on different instrumentsDirector of Performing Arts, Janet Emsley

Plaudits

Janet added: "Jane has built the Wind ensemble back up to this standard and deserves all the plaudits, whilst Lee continues to demand the best from his young musicians and works incredibly hard with Jane and Gwen Smith, to maintain the reputation we have at Wardle Academy for musical excellence."